Ask Lorna

Ask Lorna of Raindrops of Sapphire a question

As I always reply to each of you in the comments section of my blog, I thought it would be good to have a general ‘ask Lorna’ page as well. If you have any questions about fashion in general, denim, jeans, styling, blogging etc or anything you don’t want to leave on my latest blog post as you don’t think it’s relevant, just ask it here! Even if it’s something as simple as where did I get something or where do I do certain things, I will reply to every question asked! It’s the same process as always, just leave a comment below and I will respond with an answer! I thought it might be a little more structured this way as you will always be able to find this page on my sidebar and will always be able to continue the conversation. I have done lots of previous Q&A’s, if you do want to check those out by clicking here. I often find though that my mind changes a lot, so if you read a question and answer on an older Q&A, the chances are my answer has changed since then, so feel free to ask again! Lorna xx.

220 Comments

Hi Martin! I have a few favourites, I’m not entirely sure I could narrow it down to just one! But my favourites are my James Jeans Couture skinnies in Vesper, my Koral Los Angeles skinnies in Merlot, my Levi’s Junior skinnies in Black and probably my AG Adriano Goldschmied The Legging in 12 Years Dwight. For comfort though I love my Diesel Fayza jeans 🙂

Those I shop and look on as much as I can as they are my favourite stores! Often they have amazing sales and discount codes so you can get things at a really great price! If I’m looking for actual discount stores then I like:

Those 2 have past season stock and you can get it a lot cheaper than retail!

In terms of which fashion bloggers are similar to me, I would probably say one that dresses quite similar to me and has a similar style would be Marianna from Mariannan.com. She loves Zara and has more of a casual approach to fashion like I do. In terms of personality, I would say maybe Aimee Song from Song of Style? She doesn’t drink alcohol like I don’t and she loves animals too, so we are alike there! Plus she loves jeans, she owns many of the pairs I do and ones that I lust over!

What do you think of James Perse? Celebrities here in LA adore his minimalist style. When I first checked out his store, I wasn’t all that impressed — nearly $100 for a t-shirt that didn’t look that much different from something I could pick up at the Gap. Then I tried one one and suddenly understood why Jennifer Aniston wears James Perse all the time. The t-shirts are amazingly comfortable and flattering. But I never would have purchased one if I’d shopped online (which is where I do most of my shopping.)

Which brings me to a second question: What advice do you have for people who want to try a new designer but shop primarily or exclusively online? How can they tell if those expensive price tags are worth it?

Believe it or not, I’ve not actually tried James Perse before. I’ve seen his clothes in shops and of course on celebs all the time, but I haven’t ever tried any of them. I am a bit like you were to begin with, my t-shirts usually cost me about £5 from H&M because I go through them like crazy as I wear them everyday. I don’t think I could justify the amount of a James Perse one, even if they are super comfortable and soft! If I had the money though, I definitely would! I’ve also heard that T by Alexander Wang are amazing t-shirts too! But I think anything made from Pima or Sea Island Cotton, for a t-shirt, is going to be really soft!

In terms of advice for shopping online for designer pieces, it is a lot harder to judge the quality than it is in person for sure. The main thing I do is look for a few key things the website lists, for example the country the garment was made in, what the garment is made from, pay attention to the way it fits the model on the photos and if there is a high res image, zoom in on it to see the construction of the piece as well as the fabric. The other thing I always do is Google it. You will often find reviews or people wearing the items and you can judge from others opinions. If something costs about £500 and is made from polyester in China or India, I never see how it’s worth the money when you get the same type of thing in Topshop for around £30. You can get something for the same price as the £500 item made from better material and made in England or the USA from a different brand, but it depends what you’re comfortable with! Some people prefer paying for the name over the actual quality of the item.

i like this idea
and i think it might takes you to another level !
so !
was it ur idea !
—————-
and about the way you choosing your outfits !
i see that you don’t pick clothes that related to fashion of a year
i mean your outfits aren’t related to a season –
so you can wear it at all times !

by the way
i forget to ask you about something
maybe ur bf can help me about it
i need to buy a Nikon D5100
and i’m looking for the best deal – plus shipping to Egypt –
i found a v.good deals but it only inside the US –
thought that you might knew a site or a seller ! !

I only know of the UK websites that sell it, like John Lewis, Currys, Jessops etc, but I am not sure if they ship to Egypt. Have you tried Amazon? I know they have the Nikon D5100 on Amazon UK, perhaps they might have it available to ship to Egypt? Are you buying just the body or the body with the lens too?

body with the lens –
i found it at amazon – they are ship to Egypt – but they too expensive –
i found one at E-Bay —
and the price is better than Amazon –
but i never had something from E-Bay !
is it trusted !

It completely depends on the seller. Is it a shop on eBay? Or just someone selling their own camera? Each item is sold by 10000s of different people, so you need to check their feedback and things. Do you have a link?

Hmm that’s a good question! Based on fit, I’m not that fond of the J Brand 810 jeans or most of the 8 series, the back pockets are placed too high on me, but then a very long time ago, I had a really old pair of Frankie B. jeans with padded patchwork pockets and they fitted me terrible, but I adore new Frankie B. jeans! Also not a fan of the MiH Marrakesh, the pockets are spaced really wide and high and they made by butt look awful! But I like other MiH jeans, it’s just the Marrakesh. So I would probably say the 2 in particular would be the Marrakesh and the padded Frankie B.s that were my least favourite. Oh actually, I tried Diesel Liv in 86C a really long time ago, they were not good on my butt either, made it flat, so I don’t like Liv. I much prefer the new Livier cut they replaced it with!

Lorna, you have mention in your biography that you would in the future would like to start your own clothing business or make denim. Well, when I was reading it I actually am trying to start a denim business myself. I absolutely love denim too. In fact, the reason that I started to love denim was right around late 2010. I came across this Amsterdam based brand, you may know them, they’re called Scotch & Soda. I fell in love since then. They have this amazing denim line for men as well as women. There men’s line is called Amsterdams Blauw and there women’s line is called Maison Scotch, both who I love dearly. They also have a children’s line which started in 2010! If interested let me know, but Int’ll then, have denim good day!

Hi Lorna!!!
I´m in love with your joules boots. Where did you buy them? at the joules shop online is impossible, because they only have two colors: navy and black-brown. I hope you can help me to find them. Do you know any online store that has them?. Thanks.

Hi Lorna!
I just made some research about Hunter Wellies – and found your blog…
You look so amazing in this wonderful outfit! A great inspiration for me, if I’ll get my hunter wellies – hopfully very soon…
The boyfriend jeans tucked into the boots looks so great! Of course, skinny jeans also look nice – but also some kind of “normal”. With this jeans, the outfit look some kind of classic, comfy, elegant and a bit debonair. For me just fantastic, also because I dont’ like it to always wear skinny jeans myself (e.g. the most time not, I don’t think they fit me well…), and was not sure about tucking looser jeans into hunter boots. But now I’m not afraid any more 🙂 .
A short question: How dit you tuck your jeans into the boots, that it fittet so well? Do you hava a trick ore did you “just tuck/put”?

Hi Christina! Thank you 🙂 I’m very happy you like my blog so much and that you like my Hunter wellies! I love them! I just tucked these jeans in and they stayed, they are a skinny boyfriend jean so they are fitted at the ankles, but I think other boyfriend jeans with a wider leg opening would work ok, they might be difficult to get in when you put them on though, so you could put an elastic band around your lower calf to hold the jeans in place? I have done this before with boots and it works! Just make sure the band isn’t too tight though! Which colour Hunter wellies did you buy?

Hi Lorna! Thank you for your quick answer and the good tip! An elastic band would be the solution – it probably works better than putting the folded pants into the socks first (wich was told to me from a friend at work 😉 . I still have to order the wellies, but now (having seen your outfit here) I totally confirmed to order a pair (now that I know, that wider fitting jeans aren’t a problem 😉 . I wasn’t sure about glossy grey oder berry; glossy black would also be nice and fit with erverything, but would also be some kind of “normal” 😉 . But now I have seen, that navy is also a very nice and suitable colour…. 🙂 . I searched throug your blog and found out, that you also have very nive welles from Joules! If you have to choose, wich ones would you prefer? Can they keep up with Hunters? Do wear your Jouls boots as well, and wich wellies for wich occasion?

You can tuck your jeans into socks too! I do that all the time, but sometimes I find the elastic band more comfortable because having my jeans pushed into my socks causes some lumps and can be a bit irritating, but both do work! It depends how wide the jeans are around the calf!

I do have Joules, I have 2 pairs of Hunter, one short in Dark Ruby Gloss, one tall pair in the Navy Gloss which you see here, then my Joules are black gloss with pink ribbons. I love them all really, the Joules pair are beautiful because of the ribbon, but they are heavier than my Hunters and are a bit more clumpy, I don’t find them as sleep or as classic, but the ribbon is beautiful. Overall though, for versatility, I prefer Hunter 🙂 🙂

I need ur advice… I have this same style of your orange Cambridge Satchel bag but mine is orange with lots of splash colors like diff paints on it. What sort of color of a dress and heels should I pair for it as a guest in a wedding? 🙂

You can always go with something pale and neutral, like a cream or white, that’s always good for weddings, but if you want to make a statement then I often find doing contrasting colours works, the opposites on the colour wheel, so pairing orange with blue, it stands out a lot. Since your bag has a lot going on with printing on it though, I would suggest the neutral option so nothing is too over powered 🙂

Lorna, in the UK is Polo Ralph Lauren a popular brand? Its very big here, its even usually our country’s clothing provider during the olympics. I am curious if it is popular what is most commonly worn from there?

We have Polo Ralph Lauren here, it’s not anywhere near as popular as it is over there for you guys, but we have it. Nobody really wears polo shirts here though, well they do if they are supporting their rugby or other sports teams, but in terms of fashion, they are not that popular, so I don’t see the brand out much. I see a few sweaters on the university guys by Polo Ralph Lauren, those are more popular, as are the perfumes!

Ah yes the big pony perfumes. Very popular. I love the way their polos feel, much comfier than generic off brand ones much like rain boots. I have a couple pics of me in my big pony polos if you wanted to see em

Hey Lorna! I need your denim expertise! I’m looking for a new pair of dark denim skinnies. My current fave is the DL1961 Emma in Skye but I’ve had them for three years now and they look worn in. I was think of trying either the AG ankle legging or the Paige Verdugo ankle (at 5’3 they should fit me like regular length jeans :P). Which do you find more flattering in terms of cut, back pocket placement and most importantly, which pair holds you in the most? I haven’t worn either brand since bootcut jeans were in, has the sizing changed? I’m a 27 in most brands, although I take a 28 in Rag&Bone and a 26 in Current /Elliott. If there’s any other brand or style you recommend, please do so! I shop at Revolve and Shopbop so you can even give me links to those sites.
Thank you and keep up the great work on your blog!

Hi!! You definitely came to the right place 🙂 Paige Verdugo and AG Leggings are both incredibly gorgeous! The AG Leggings have a lower rise and the back pockets are angled to be flattering, the Paige Verdugo have straighter pockets and a higher rise, so it depends what you are looking for there. In terms of holding you in, neither really do that, so if you are looking specifically for that, I definitely recommend the James Jeans Couture Skinny in Vesper. Those are incredibly flattering! I’ve worn them a lot on my blog and they have slightly padded back pockets to lift the butt, a contoured waistband to hold you in and suction thigh wrapping to hold the thighs in. They slim you down everything and hold you all in. As for sizing, I am a 27 in almost every brand, but a 26 in Current/Elliott. I do fit a tight 26 in AG Jeans, a 27 in Rag & Bone. Let me know if you need any other advice or want me to elaborate more!

i am going to burford fashion show at the end of feb and i was just wondering what it is like its my first time at this one. also do you go all dressrs up or casual each one is very different. thanks kay

Hi, it depends what you mean in terms of size. Do you mean jeans, shoes, or just normal clothes? I’m a shoe size 39/40 or UK 6/7, a jeans size 26/27 and general clothes size UK 6-8 in brands like Topshop, Zara, H&M, River Island etc. Occasionally I will need a size 10 to fit my butt when it comes to trousers lol. My height is 5ft 5 🙂

Hi, I’m Segundo from the Inca Bag Co. I just love the pics. So much color. They look amazing. I would like to perhaps offer one of my bags for Raindrops of Sapphire in return of permitting me to post them to my FB fans.

hi,
first, sorry for my bad english,
I just wanted to know if you still have the camo jacket and where you got it from bc the link that you’ve posted shows not the same camo jacket from topshop as you had. I really need the same as you have. maybe you can help me. thank you

Hi Lorna
Yesterday I found your blog looking for some reference about Sam Edelman´s boots and I found your post about autumn boots wich was so helpful but I want to know something else about the size. I don´t have so much experience buying on internet but I know my size in Aldo´s boots and is 8.5, maybe you can help me telling me how is your experience with the sizing in Edelman´s.
Thanks a lot

And I already added you to my bloglovin´. Lov your outfits and style 🙂

Hi Rocio 🙂 Thank you! I’m really glad that you like my blog so much! That’s great! I actually haven’t ever tried Aldo boots, so I’m not sure of my sizing in them, however I took a 9.5 in my Sam Edelman boots and they fit perfect. I would say they were pretty true to size as I am between the 9-10 size. I hope that helps for you! They are super comfortable if you are going for the Petty!

Hi, I have a pair of patent peep toe sling backs! I’m usually a size 5 but when I purchased these shoes from louboutin they advised me to go half a size down! I did this, and my right foot fits okay but my left leaves me in some serious pain where the sling back elastic digs into the back of my foot! I have owned them for 10 months and worn them just three times.. What would you suggest with this? Just keep wearing them until they stretch or perhaps could I get a slightly longer elastic added to the shoe by a professional?(<- is that a crazy idea?) any advice would be appreciated x

Hi! Oh no! Sounds painful! Have you tried pulling at the elastic and stretching it by hand? Or wearing the shoe with socks to make the shoe a bit bigger, so it doesn’t dig in? It’s not a crazy idea to have them professionally altered like that, but Louboutin uses unique leather so you probably wouldn’t get an exact match on the back from a cobbler and there’s always a risk it might not work.

I would probably recommend the normal size, the one up from the Mini if that one is too small for you. I haven’t had any chipping at the moment and I’ve worn it three times, but I am quite delicate with it. I’m not sure if it will chip if you knock it or scratch it, it might do!

Style is really about whatever you feel suits you, what you feel inspired by and what you like. So you need to find your general genre first, then you can think about putting outfits together as a whole. You can’t really tell someone what they should wear without knowing what kind of things they like first.

Hi,
I’m wondering about the 7 For All Mankind jeans (which you look amazing in BTW :)). I surffer from severe M.E. & am pretty miuch permanently bedbound but that doesn’t stop me wanting to get dressed & I’ve always been a Jeans girl. Over the past 5 years I shopped on emotion & have ended up with so many clothes but nothing I like to wear, there’s always one outfit I go to which is my black jeggings & a white tee. But, now I want less clothes but high quality items that I’ll always wear. I’ve decided that I’d like a pair of jeans from 7 For All Mankind but I have no idea what would suit my needs. Pleas could you help? I need them to be soft & super comfy but I miss the way jeans make my body look, standing up or walking, so I want them to look hot sitting down too. Any ideas? (I’m in the UK)
Thank you 🙂 x

That’s so strange you said that. This subject hits really close to home for me, but it’s not something I have spoken about on my blog. I have M.E as well, I was diagnosed when I was 14 (I’m 26 now). I will email you 🙂

I’ve been channeling Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and have been obsessed with glittering my shoes. However, after doing five different pairs over the last two years, I’m continually disappointed with how long they last. I’ve tried many different approaches and it doesn’t work out and materials. I’ve been shopping for shoes that are already glittery/crystalized and I’m not finding anything I like. I saw your blog on strassing your shoes and I absolutely LOVE the look of them. It’s everything I would want in a shoe. I’m curious to how long they last? How often do crystals fall off? Have you tried strassing patent leather yet? I read on one blog that you hadn’t, but was curious if you have at this point. Any input and advice you could give me would be great!

Hi, I actually can’t really help too well on this question as I haven’t gotten much use out of my shoes. I can’t say how long the crystals would stay on with a lot of use, but they do seem really strong and stuck. I haven’t tried patent yet, I was worried the crystals would pop off the shiny fabric, but it might work! I definitely recommend doing it if you get the chance! But hard use is something I can’t say the outcome on, sorry about that! But good luck with it if you decide to do it, it does take a long while though!

Hi, I wasn’t able to wear a bra with it, but my measurements with a bra on the chest are 38 inches, waist is 26 inches, hips are 38 inches. The body slip underneath is super stretchy. I’m usually a size UK 8 and took a size Small in the dress I had on. Thanks!

Hi Danny, in general I tend to prefer briefs, like the Calvin Klein ones, but not so much boxers unless they are short and tight. General briefs are good with a thick waistband. I think they look the best. Nothing baggy, no super long baggy boxers and no saggy tighty whities lol. I feel like men’s underwear should definitely offer support and cupping! Interesting question though, in all my years blogging I can safely say I have never been asked this one before! Examples would be:

Recently discovered your blog somehow and recognised you from thejeansblog! I was wondering if i could have your expert opinion on denim. Some info beforehand: I’m about the same height as you are, and roughly a similar build (save that i often take 28 in jeans) and I usually get my jeans from 7 for all mankind as their “the skinny” fit fits me incredibly well. I’m quite new to premium denim and would like an alternative to 7 for all mankind, as i’d like a different wash… and maybe different fabric. (Just got a pair from 7FAM that i realised only after the first wear is slightly scratchy due to the polyester blend… argh! this gives me the sads.)

Looking into Diesel and AG jeans, and was wondering if you knew of any good alternatives and if you have particular fits that you like. Thank you in advance!

Hi Joan 🙂
Glad you found me here too! I own quite a few websites! Of course I can help! I’m very familiar with The Skinny from 7FAM and I hate polyester blends too, so much! Nothing worse than scratchy and itchy jeans! Did you read my blog post on The Jeans Blog about my 10 favourite jeans? For my my ultimate favourite cut is the Citizens of Humanity Rocket. If you are wanting to try AG though, I would say The Stilt or The Legging Ankle are great options to try, but Paige do an amazing Verdugo as well. The Transcend fabric in the Verdugo is like silk! It’s so soft and comfortable. I wouldn’t say any Diesel are similar to The Skinny from 7FAM or similar to many jeans I wear actually, they are often extremely tight in the waist for me, so I tend not to wear them much anymore. If you let me know what kind of rise you like and what size leg opening, I might be able to help even more 🙂

I did read the post on your 10 favourite jeans! Unfortunately, I don’t / can’t handle high rise jeans as my torso is pretty short, so high rise come up uncomfortably (and unflatteringly) high. I like a mid rise (18cm or so) and a leg opening of 10 inches (about 25cm?)

I don’t mind if the leg opening is a tad smaller or bigger but i like denim to be pretty skinny all the way through the leg. I hope that made sense! I need jeans with a comfortable waist as i’ve got to run after a 7 year old, so i’m really glad you mentioned that bit about Diesel! I hope to manage to find a pair that I can get within Europe/UK too… the add on taxes are an awful surprise.

10 inches would be a flare, as we measure just flat across, or did you mean 5 inches? For a super skinny? Sorry you can’t do high waisted, I find them extremely comfortable on me as they hold everything in, ha ha. A 7 inch rise (18cm) is considered low though, mid is around 8 and over. I think you should go with AG Stilt or AG Legging, they both have a lower rise and are skinny! And yeah I know what you mean about taxes, living in England does that to you too. If you order from Shopbop though you can pay taxes at the checkout and they have a big sale coming up soon! It’s cheaper to buy jeans in the US too and import them as the retail price is way, way less than the UK price. I never buy them over here due to that lol. For example Paige jeans are about $200 in the US, here in the UK they are about £200 which makes over $350… Ridiculous right?

Oh good lord, sorry, my newness to premium denim is obvious. I didn’t know it was measured flat across, I actually had to check the 7FAM website, and they stated 10″. I just measured a pair which came up to 12cm, so yes, 5 inches! I didn’t know a 7 inch rise was also low *sheepish* it must feel mid rise because my torso is that short…! I feel like a 7 inch rise already holds everything in for me!

I didn’t know ordering at Shopbop gave you the option of paying taxes at check out, that’s brilliant! I realised many brands do make a huge mark up on jeans from the US to the UK/EU, maybe because of import or branding… no idea, but it’s painful to our pockets. I’ll check AG’s Stilt and Legging styles out, thank you! Also didn’t know Shopbop have a sale coming up… yaaaay! Pretty excited now. Thank you for the tips!

No problem! Makes sense, 8 inches is a good enough rise! Everyone is having a sale very soon because of Thanksgiving coming up, Black Friday is the best time to shop!! If you like an 8 inch rise, I might recommend the Paige Verudgo to you too! Can I ask a favour of you? When it comes to your time to buy your jeans online, would you do it via my blog? So use an URL on my blog to go to the site you’re using, like Shopbop? It means they know I sent you then and I make a small commission on it, at no extra cost to you, but because I sent you to the site, it makes them happy to work with me! That would be amazing if you could!

Yeah sure! I don’t mind at all 🙂 (i can’t guarantee 100% i will get them as i’m looking around for the perfect fit and wash, does that matter if i click else where/buy something else after i click the link? Looking at both Paige and AG now!) But yeah i really don’t mind. I’ll wait till Black Friday to get them 😉 thank you!

Maybe just let me know which ones you plan on buying after you have chosen and then I can give you the link? It only works if you stay on the site that you clicked via my blog, if you leave the site it doesn’t work 🙁 But I have a whole page of retailers here http://raindropsofsapphire.com/favourite-shops/

Is it definitely a dark wash you like? I think the first Paige are nice and the first AG. Out of those, for comfort I would probably go Paige! The Transcend is SO soft!

joan

November 19, 2015 / 2:55 pm

Had to start a new comment thread because i couldn’t reply your last comment. I’m partial toward indigo washes (dark or medium doesn’t matter… but i didn’t find any from either brand unfortunately) and dark washes in general. 🙂 I agree, the first Paige and first AG ones are the ones i like most! might get both…

They are quite similar to each other, Paige has a thinner denim and much more stretchy, but roughly the same. I’m a 26 in both. I’m also a 26 in 7FAM so they should run true to size. I haven’t tried the particular washes you like though, so I’m making a generalised judgement.

Hi Lorna! I’m just curious to know, what is your opinion on the brand Levi’s? I own six pairs of jeans (a far cry from your 400 unfortunately haha!) and five of those are Levi’s. I have a hard time bringing myself to try other brands. Anyway, just curious to get your opinion. 🙂

Love Levi’s! I have quite a few pairs ranging from vintage cut off 501 shorts and skinny boyfriend jeans to their Slight Curve skinnies and Jeggings. Huge fan! I feel like Levi’s is just iconic and really embodies the heritage of denim 🙂

Hi Lorna! I hope it’s okay to post another question. I’m looking into buying another pair of jeans soon so I was just curious to get your perspective. When it comes to jeans for men, do you have any suggestions for good brands to check out? I love Levi’s but wouldn’t mind branching out a bit. I do own one pair of Silver brand jeans and have really liked them. I’ve thought about looking into Diesel as well. Also, do you like certain washes for guys over others? In any case, thank you for your time!

Although the answer may be found in this blog, I would like to ask how do you get the inspiration of ‘Raindrops of Sapphire’ as the theme of this blog. Or why you titled this blog as ‘Raindrops of Sapphire’? Thank you and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you too! I chose Raindrops of Sapphire as I live in England, so it’s often raining and I love gemstones, I thought sapphire rain would look beautiful. I wanted something really unique and went with that one!

Hello Lorna! I’m just curious, what is your opinion on Levi’s new line of “Wedgie” jeans??? I’m still not entire sure what to make of them myself. I love Levi’s, and a vintage look, but these are pretty unique to say the least. Haha.

Hi Ed,
Thanks! At the moment I don’t have any wellies shoots done, but I’m sure there will be some more. I’m yet to debut my navy Hunter wellies with the plaid pattern on the blog, so maybe those will be next!

Hi Lorna! A question regarding the future of jeans. Do you think the “athleisure” trend will kill off denim, particularly among women??? I really hope not myself, jeans absolutely rule! I can’t imagine life without them, but things do change over time. Anyway, thank you for your time!

I honestly don’t think anything will kill off denim. It’s too popular. I mean a lot of people are opting to wear leggings and sweat pant style bottoms now, however they usually team them with denim jackets. A lot of brands are using super stretchy denim and making hybrid denim like ‘jogg jeans’ which combine the both, so we can still wear denim. I think it’s safe!

Hi Lorna would wear specic outfits if we gifted them for you ? Im in USA but am a huge fan and love not only your beautiful body but also attention to fashion. There are seceral things id like to see you in let me know if we can make it work

Hi Maja, so glad you love my blog! I actually don’t have a Mini Lily Cookie. I assume you mean the Mulberry one? The only one I have in the Lily from Mulberry is the normal Oak and the pink denim. None of the cookie variety. Perhaps it was somewhere else you saw it? If you could show me the photo I might be able to help!

It’s always a real pleasure to visit your blog, and see your beautiful outfits. It’s a great idea to have a dedicated Ask Lorna section.

My question concerns your blogging accomplishments. I wanted to ask how you manage your time effectively as a full-time blogger, and co-ordinate the various aspects of maintaining your blog? For example, how do you organise your working week to accommodate photo shoots, the writing of posts, and communications / promoting the blog? Did you have any particular strategies for building your online presence in the early stages, and staying organised?

I only shoot photos on the weekends when I’m with my boyfriend, so we shoot them on days when I’m not blogging. I keep the working week for posting on DenimBlog, The Jeans Blog, Raindrops of Sapphire, The Fashion Supernova and more recently, Fashion Runway Blog. I have a schedule each day which outlines what I need to get done for that day and work on it through the entire day, I don’t have set hours as with my illness I need to be able to do it at my own pace. So today, my schedule looks a bit like this:

Then of course I have things like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc to post to, but I just do that whenever I can and feel like it. As a full time blogger it’s just about finding your balance and making sure you have a good posting system. So for Raindrops I post every 3 days now, Jeans Blog I try to post 2-3 times a week, Fashion Supernova is 1-2 times a week but I have guest writers, Fashion Runway I run with my boyfriend and we post every 2 days, but take it in turns, so that every 4 days for myself. DenimBlog is 7 posts a day but 2-3 of those are mine each day since there’s 2 other writers. Does that help? It’s definitely a full time commitment that’s for sure.

Yes Lorna, that’s a huge help! Thanks so much for giving details of how you manage your time and stay organised each week. It’s really impressive that you’ve achieved so much with Raindrops of Sapphire, while managing an illness and contributing to other blogs as well.

In terms of staying active online, I just wondered whether you have a system in place for synchronised posts across different social media platforms, whenever a new post is published to your blog? It would be so helpful if you could please make any suggestions on this, for bloggers who don’t get enough time to go on social media.

And if I may ask one final question. How do you avoid getting back problems or RSI as a result of sitting at your computer for long periods?

I have the Publicize plugin from Jetpack turned on to publish posts to Twitter when they just get posted, but otherwise I do it all myself. You can use things like Hootsuite to schedule and manage posts over your social media, but I find it’s better to do it yourself as it’s more personal then. But if you need a scheduler, try Hootsuite as it works well.

I don’t have a desk and an actual computer, I have a Macbook laptop and with that I am constantly moving around with it, so I will sit on the sofa, the table, my bed etc and I don’t stay in one place for too long else I will get aches all over. So since I move around often, my seating position is changing all the time. I make sure to do this as I used to suffer terrible back pain and I don’t much anymore.

Hope all of that helps you, Saba! Really glad you like everything I do and that means a lot to me xx.

Those are all really good strategies Lorna. I will be sure to check out the option of using Hootsuite, which I wasn’t familiar with until now.

I also like the idea of moving around a lot while using digital devices, in order to stay active. Whenever I sit for too long at the computer, I feel really out of sorts and definitely notice the eye strain! Working in short bursts is more likely to be effective, rather than doing everything in one sitting.

You’re so welcome for the feedback. It always cheers me up to visit your blog, and it’s great to have a chance to discuss blogging in a bit more depth!

I was wondering if you could help? I just bought a pair of Private number heels by Christian Louboutin and they fit perfectly comfortably around the foot and toe areas, the only problem is the sling back strap around the heel is too tight and hurts after a while. Is there any way of lengthening it or loosening it? Thanks 🙂

Hi 🙂 I’ve heard cobblers can add some extra elastic to it, but it’s tight because it helps keep the shoes secure. I know when the elastic is looser, it slips a lot and the shoes can fall off. But maybe ask your cobbler. I think there’s a couple of ladies with the sling back issue on The Purse Forum, if you want to head over there!

I have a question regarding the Louis Vuitton Alma BB in fuchsia that you have. You have mentioned in your post that it’s a deep and rich pink/red/purple. I know different lighting conditions indoors and outdoors make the Epi fuchsia appear differently. The colour of your Alma BB in the pictures/YouTube video you posted is so lovely – a deep pink/purple – what I really want (I am seriously comtemplating getting the Petit Noe in Epi fuchsia). However, I have seen the fuchsia appearing like a deep red/crimson in other pictures/videos. I’m not really into red. So I would like to seek your opinion before taking the plunge. Any information would be helpful. I just don’t want to end up with a fuchsia that looks red most of the time. Thanks.

Thanks for emailing. It’s a mixture of both reasons actually, but it’s definitely not red. Some lights it’s more purple pink and other lights it’s more pink pink. Definitely not red though, that might be an issue with the camera and it also depends on computer screens as well. In person it’s a dark pink with purple undertones to it, not orangey red undertones 🙂 It’s truly stunning! I think you’d love it!

Hi Lorna! I’m trying to use a YouTube video which can preferably be played in my blog post itself, with the use of the miniature player, which looks like a screen capture. For example, when you posted a beauty review of the epilator a few months ago, it had a linked video which you’d posted to YouTube which could be viewed on your blog.

Hi Saba, that’s using the embed code. On your YouTube video you click the button that says ‘share’ then you click ’embed code’ and you paste that html code it gives you into the text/html writing tab of your blog. If you need to make the size of the video bigger then you press the ‘show more’ button and scroll down, under the preview box you will find 2 boxes, fill in what size you want the width to be and the height will adjust itself, then copy the embed code. Hope that helps!

Thank you so much Lorna! You’re a life-saver! I’m very happy as I’ve been able to include the video in my latest blog post, and with your clear instructions it was much easier than I thought it would be.

Hello lorna, I have just found your page on Google “how to walk in almine” . Your page is great. I have two questions please.

1: Do you sell any of your designer shoes when your finished with them? Or do you know anyone else who does? Unfortunately I can’t afford to buy new ones every time I see a pair I like. (Due to very bad health and a life threatening illness )

Or if anyone who is reading this, do you sell your designer shoes once your finished with them?

2: how do I walk in almine? They were pre owned and the heel is slightly bent to one side due to the way the previous owner walked. It’s not the stubby heel bit, it’s the actual heel. Can I fix it myself in any way or a store. I also find the sling black sides off my foot, how can I keep it on?

Here is my email incase anyone wants to e-mail me if they are selling any designer shoes and I’ll put my mobile number up and you can message me via what’s app. Not text my phone is goosed.

I removed your number from this post as it’s not safe to put it out there so publicly in a place that’s extremely popular with hundreds of people visiting this post daily, but I’ve left your email address. You need to be very careful with pre-owned shoes because you might end up coming across fakes, which is not what you want. I don’t sell my shoes as the Louboutin collection I have now is the one I’m keeping for good, I sold the rest of them ages ago.

If the actual heel is bent then I don’t think that’s something you can fix, and sling backs aren’t for everyone too as they slip off a lot of peoples feet. I wouldn’t recommend them as a Louboutin shoe that’s practical and wearable, I would go for a pair with a closed back. For pre-owned I would try places like this: http://rstyle.me/n/cbid99mype
Authenticity is guaranteed there and you can get some good prices.

Good luck! P.S – I’m not approving the second comment you left here as it’s my personal blog, it’s not a shopping mall or community or anything, so I’m not ok with requests for another reader of mine to buy you shoes or an outfit in exchange for photos. Hope you find a pair!

i really like your blog and especially how you combine your wellies to the fashion.
For me as a man it is a real pleasure that also my girlfriend loves and likes Hunter boots a lot and wears them in public. But for me, who also likes wearing wellies, it is very hard to wear them. My only option is to wear them on muddy field roads when it rains. This is because, especially in Germany, wellies aren’t that in common to the people and even women who wear them get some stranges view on them – easy to think about how these people would look at a man wearing wellies in public.
Do you have any idea who a man could manage it to wear wellies in public without getting strange looks from other people?

Over here in England it’s common for men to wear wellies, especially since I live in the countryside. I don’t really know how you could put them in an outfit other than with a raincoat or a blazer that looks like a farmers blazer. A country outfit could work, that’s how I see men style them around here. Good luck!

Hi Lorna, I am very interisting with your post about hunter norris field boots in loganberry. My work is mostly in the field but want to look stylish. Where I can buy that boots? it is possible to buy online? Thank you

I recently came across your blog and was instantly blown away by how amazing your pictures are. You said that your pictures are retina ready, and I was wondering if you could help me figure out why I can’t get my pictures retina ready. I’ve been trying to look up tutorials on how to double the size of the image in photoshop, but when I double the size my images don’t increase in quality they remain the same quality. I would really appreciate your help.

Oh Instagram doesn’t do retina images unfortunately. The best quality you can get is by emailing yourself the images you took from your computer via your camera, then saving them to your phone from the email, then uploading them. But retina images are not for apps, they are for blogs and websites pretty much 🙂

That is unfortunate, I will keep working on trying to improve my pictures. I hope one day they will be just as amazing as your pictures! ☺️ thank you so much for your help, and taking the time to respond.

Hi Saba! Those widgets are created by RewardStyle 🙂 RewardStyle is a fashion affiliate company which has 100’s of brands and designers as part of its network. It’s a sign up and acceptance submission as they only take on the blogs they think suit their brand, but you make all those cool widgets etc with their tools! It’s not something built into the blog or theme or anything like that, it’s specifically related to them 🙂 Are you thinking of changing themes?

You’ve probably been asked this before, but how many pairs of wellies do you own (including hunters and other brands) ? And which are your favourite?
And are there any your looking at getting as the next pair?

Hi! I now have 15 pairs! 11 Hunter, 1 Rockfish, and 3 Joules! My latest pair that I got last week are these http://rstyle.me/n/crwa2amype and they’re so dreamy! I just shared them to my Instagram as well a few days ago if you wanna see!

Aha … found it now ! The page I originally landed on from an infamous search engine had only the one image (roll neck outfit) with no text, but clicked on ‘previous post’ and, as you say, all revealed.
Thanks.

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UK fashion blog and lifestyle blog by Award Winning fashion blogger, Lorna Burford. I cover the latest fashion trends from around the world, showcasing my favourite outfits, designer shoes, designer bags and must have fashion accessories. Check out my about page for more about me, my lifestyle and the Raindrops of Sapphire blog.